Private investigators are an essential part of the criminal justice system. They provide evidence to help track criminals, solve crimes, and assist in civil actions such as divorce cases. Although Florida stands below the national violent crime rate of 4.0 per 1,000, private investigators still need to do their part in keeping the state safe.
Private investigators also serve clients who want to keep their personal information secret, and with good reason.
As a resident of Florida or elsewhere, you have every right to protect yourself from identity theft, fraud, stalking, and more.
If you need help keeping your privacy intact, here’s what you need to know about hiring a private investigator to help preserve your privacy.
What Are the Duties of a Private Investigator?
Private investigators are in the business of investigating and solving problems. They can find missing persons, provide security, conduct background checks, and even investigate insurance fraud. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the need for private detectives and investigators is projected to grow by 6 percent from 2021 to 2031.
The USBL statistics show that there are over 32000 private investigators working in the United States, with legal services providing the third most popular users of private investigator services (following general ‘investigation and security’ and local government use.
California has over 4000 private investigators, statistics show, followed by Florida (over 3800) and Texas (nearly 2400).
Private investigators also have certain legal duties that they must follow when conducting an investigation. These include:
- Notifying the subject of your investigation that you are conducting one.
- Recording all activities related to your investigation in a logbook and keeping it for four years after completion of casework or until termination of employment with an agency if applicable.
If you seek help from private investigators, you must look for someone who knows the legal boundaries and can do the job exceptionally well.
If lawyers or any other person or business requires a private investigator then using a company that operates in the city or region is going to be an obvious choice as they know the ‘ins and outs’ of the area.
We spoke with ACES, private investigators in West Palm Beach, for instance, who have wide experience in their work, offering a wide range of services, beyond what many may think would be delivered by private investigation services.
According to the information on the website, the company offers services like private investigation, background checks, private security needs, etc.
Using private investigators properly can involve not only traditional investigation services, but the variety of other checks and information that can help with legal proceedings, employment issues, debt recovery and all manner of other work.
The Role of Private Investigators
It is important to understand is that a private investigator (PI) is not a law enforcement officer or government investigator. The role of a PI is to conduct discreet inquiries on behalf of individuals, businesses, and law firms.
Private investigators may perform tasks such as surveillance of cheating spouses, investigating financial fraud, obtaining background information for employment screening, providing video footage for use in court cases, etc.
The Banking, Finance Services, and Insurance (BFSI) sector requires a lot of private investigators due to the financial fraud risks associated with the industry. A market analysis report by Fact.MR shows that the BFSI sector comprises at least 19% of the market share of private investigation services.
In Florida, for instance, there are two types of PIs, licensed security guards who are required by state statute to be trained in investigative techniques before becoming licensed and unlicensed “security consultants.” Security consultants do not need the training to operate legally within the state but cannot carry weapons while performing their duties.
Privacy Risks in Florida
Florida is popular with celebrities, public figures, and people who want privacy. This is largely because Florida has a strong privacy law for its residents. The state’s constitution protects personal information from being disclosed unless it’s in the public interest or if there are legal grounds to do so.
But even though Florida has tough laws protecting personal data, even if you’re not famous, you still need some help protecting your privacy when you live here or visit often. That’s where private investigators come in.
How Private Investigators Can Help
If you want to know if a person is who they say they are, private investigators can certainly assist in providing accurate information about the correct identity of any individual and also to find out if assets or information is being concealed or otherwise hidden from the inquiring client.
Similarly, for those trying to find out if a loved one is still alive and well, private investigators may be able to assist with this or at least provide some insight into their whereabouts.
Choosing a Private Investigator
When you’re looking for a private investigator, there are a few things that you should keep in mind.
First and foremost, look for someone with experience in your area. If you’re trying to find out if your spouse is cheating on you or stealing from their employer, they must have experience working with people like this.
There are many other things to consider, such as the following:
Identify Your Needs
Before hiring a private investigator, knowing your goals and how you can achieve them is important. The first step is to determine what information you need from the investigation. Do you want to find out if someone is lying about their identity or if they have another job? Are there any other issues that need resolving?
The answers to these questions will help narrow down the type of private investigator best suited for your case. Then, once the scope has been set, it’s time to start looking into options available in your area.
Check for Credentials
When looking for a private investigator, it’s essential to check their credentials and background.
- Check their license. The state must license all Florida PIs and display their licenses prominently on their websites and business cards. If they don’t have one, look elsewhere.
- Check references from other clients that can vouch for them as a professional who will work hard on your case and keep you informed throughout the process. You should also check reviews online. It’s not always necessary for investigators to post positive reviews themselves. Sometimes, it’s just enough if someone else has spoken up about how great they were at solving his or her case.
Look for a Track Record of Success
- Look at the investigator’s past cases. If you hire a private investigator, it’s important to look at their past work and see if they have any success stories similar to yours.
- Check out the online reviews for the agency or individual investigator you are considering hiring. You can also ask other people who might be familiar with them what they think of them- the more information you have on an investigator’s track record, the better.
- Check out how well the agency or individual investigator communicates with their clients throughout the investigation by looking at their customer service records. This will give you some insight into whether or not this person will be easy to work with once they start working on your case.
Evaluate Cost and Fees
The cost of a private investigator can vary widely depending on the case. Some investigations are very expensive, while others are quite affordable. A good rule of thumb is that if you’re looking for a PI who specializes in your particular investigation and geographical area, you’ll want to ensure they have experience with that type of work before calling them up.
When hiring an investigator, it’s essential to consider not only their rates but also their fees. These two should be considered separately because they represent two different costs that may not be connected.
For example, you pay out-of-pocket costs once everything has been completed. Fees refer to what you pay upfront before any work begins. A private investigator’s salary can range vastly based on various factors. But according to Talent.com, the average salary of a private investigator in Florida is $42,413 annually.
Conclusion
Florida is a great place to live and work, but it can also be challenging for those trying to keep their personal information safe as is the case in so many places. Using a private investigator proactively to protect privacy and prevent data breaches and other issues is a smart move. With so many risks with identity fraud and other issues, those living anywhere need to protect themselves from identity theft or other data breaches.
Private investigators can help identify potential privacy vulnerabilities that an individual may be otherwise unaware of, such as identifying personal information that is publicly available or showing potential security weaknesses in an individual’s home or online accounts.
They can also provide security recommendations and suggest privacy-enhancing measures, such as ways to secure sensitive documents and information, how to avoid scams and phishing attacks, and how to protect personal information online and the like.
Source: ACES West Palm Beach Investigators
